Ukraine and Russia were set to send delegations to Doha, Qatar, in August to negotiate a landmark agreement halting strikes on energy and power infrastructure on both sides, but the indirect talks were derailed by Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia's western Kursk region, The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing the diplomats and officials familiar with the course of discussion.

"A diplomat briefed on the talks said Russian officials postponed their meeting with Qatari officials after Ukraine’s incursion into western Russia. Moscow's delegation described it as 'an escalation,' the diplomat said, adding that Kyiv did not warn Doha about its cross-border offensive," it said.

The diplomat noted that Russia "didn't call off the talks, they said give us time."

In response to questions from The Washington Post, the Office of the President of Ukraine said in a statement that the summit in Doha was postponed "due to the situation in the Middle East," but it would take place in a video conference format August 22, after which Kyiv would consult with its partners about implementing what was discussed. The Kremlin did not respond to requests for comment. The White House declined to comment for this story. The Biden administration has long said the timing and terms of a potential cease-fire agreement with Russia are for Ukraine alone to decide.

The diplomat familiar with the talks said that Qatar has been discussing the arrangement for an energy strike moratorium with Kyiv and Moscow for the past two months. The official said the two sides agreed to a summit in Doha with just minor details left to be worked out.

A Russian academic with close ties to senior Russian diplomats signaled that Russia might be more willing to consider an energy infrastructure deal as a way to lure Kyiv to broader cease-fire talks. Otherwise, he said, Moscow could be less motivated since it believed it could inflict more damage on Ukrainian energy infrastructure than Kyiv was able to on Russian oil refineries.